Virus-vectored fertility control for house mouse (Mus domesticus) in Australia

House mouse populations erupt irregularly in the grain growing regions of south-eastern Australia, reaching densities greater than 1000 mice per hectare and causing major economic impacts within rural communities. Current control strategies usually involve the use of rodenticides (e.g. zinc phosphide), which are not target specific, are costly to apply, can lead to environmental damage and their humaneness is being questioned.

As an alternative to current lethal agents, fertility control approaches whereby viruses are being assessed as delivery vectors are being developed. The research program combines molecular biology, population ecology and epidemiology of the virus vector as well as risk assessment of the use of genetically engineered organisms in the Australian landscape.